Paths
by ThatTastyCheesecake
Summary: Kirito disappeared for a while after the events with the Moonlit Black Cats. Later on, a dangerous in-game event brings the paths of many players together, as a new type of enemy hunts down a lone warrior.
1. Prologue: All Paths Led to This

**Hi all, this is my first fanfic. I just suddenly got hit by this idea one day so I decided to note it down and the story just developed from there. Feel free to leave reviews, criticism and ideas if you want to, I know where I want to take the story but its always nice to have new inspiration.**

 **Just a few notes on where the this AUish story fits into the SAO timeline:**

 **-The Prologue is set during the boss battle on the 74th floor in the anime episode: _The Blue Eyed Demon_ , whereas the rest of the story takes place roughly a month or two before _The Sword Dance of Black and White_ episode, so possible spoilers as to episodes 1-9 of the anime.**

 **-I have broken the canon behind Kirito's second sword, which is no longer made by Lisbeth. You will see why by the end of the story.**

 **-I will be including the SAO Progressive series as canon (mainly the Elf War arc as the elves will be appearing later in the story)**

 **Plot Summary: Kirito disappeared for a while after the events with the Moonlit Black Cats. Now, a dangerous in-game event brings the paths of many players together, as a new type of enemy hunts down a lone warrior.**

* * *

Prologue / All Paths Led to This:

Chaos. That was the only word Asuna could find that was applicable to the situation at hand as she continued to drag the terrified player out of harms way. She was in the boss room of the 74th floor of Aincrad, helping Klein to get the panic-stricken members of the Aincrad Liberation Army (those that were left at least) to the rooms exit, as the legendary Black Swordsman distracted the floors boss: the Gleam Eyes.

Kirito was locked in a loosing battle, unable to escape. Backing down wasn't an option for him, Asuna knew that. He was too used to playing solo, tackling all of his problems alone instead of letting others help, which is why she was so surprised when he suddenly cried out: "HEY KLEIN, ASUNA…LISTEN…I NEED TEN SECONDS, KEEP HIM OFF ME!"

If the lone player Kirito was actually asking for help, then there was no way that Asuna could decline. She and Klein rushed forward to distract the Gleam Eyes as Kirito pulled back. Asuna was too focused on the fight at hand to take notice to what Kirito was doing, but she had fought alongside him enough times for a deep layer of trust to have formed. She got a clean hit on the boss's sword, forcing it away as Kirito shouted behind her: "OKAY I'M READY…SWITCH OUT!"

She jumped back and out of the way as he barrelled past her, deflecting the boss's attack with his sword whilst reaching his other hand to his shoulder. Asuna knew him well enough to know that he had something planned, but she was not prepared for the sight of a second sword materialising on his back. As Kirito drew the new sword, she was struck by a sudden sense of familiarity…she had seen that sword before…


	2. The Black Swordsman

**Hey Guys, just a quick note to explain where I'm coming from for this chapter:**

 **-if you are familiar with the character of Kizmel (from the SAO Progressive series), you'll know that she has an incredibly advanced AI. I thought it would be cool to allow that certain type of enemies (in this case Orcs) would have a similar style of AI in them too, allowing them to feel some emotions and be intimidated by players, as well as retaining a memory of their previous encounters with players (kind of like Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor) making them more individual and unique enemies to face instead of just the usual canon fodder**

 **-We're going off of the basis that Kirito and Asuna, although they live and fight separately, encounter and fight alongside each other every now and again (in boss battles and on random adventures), and are still pretty close in the lead-up to** ** _The Sword Dance of Black and White_** **Anime episode**

 **Anyway hope you guys enjoy the chapter!**

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Chapter 1 / The Black Swordsman:

 _-Two Months Ago-_

Patience. It's supposed to be a virtue, or so Asuna, also known as the Lightning Flash, had been told. She could see her small party of Knights of the Blood Oath players growing restless. They were currently staking out a camp of Orcs in preparation for an attack. The loot and experience was too good an opportunity to miss.

The Orcs were oblivious to their presence, continuing with their programmed routines as the guild members watched on. Now was as good a time to attack as any, while they still had the element of surprise. Asuna opened her mouth to speak, ready to give the order for the players to attack, when an Orc suddenly let out a squeal of terror.

The guild froze, searching for the source of the squeal, had they been discovered? Asuna tensed up as the Orc camp suddenly went wild, fear spreading throughout their ranks as they began to draw their weapons and…turn away from them?

The Lightning Flash was confused, gazing on in bewilderment as the Orcs turned their backs to her group, closing ranks in a defensive formation. The Orc commanders were shouting orders to their troops, rallying them together when a lone figure burst through the middle of their ranks, taking two unfortunate enemies with them as he went on the offensive, slashing through any npc who dared to get close to them. Asuna observed the newcomer: one-handed sword, no shield, alone, dressed all in black…she sighed. Who else would it have been? Kirito the Black Swordsman was here…

The Knights of the Blood Oath watched on as Kirito fought in a frenzy, anger and determination pouring out of him as cut through the Orcs one by one. A single enemy fled the fight, attempting to escape but instead running straight into Asuna's group, coming to a halt before them as it noticed the group of high-level players blocking its path.

The Orc backed away, falling to the floor before them, weeping in fear. Asuna had never seen an npc react so emotionally before. She knew that certain characters in the game obtained emotional complexity, such as her friend Kizmel the Dark Elf, but she had never seen a hostile npc of this type. She looked around her guild members to find the same sense of surprise on their faces that she was feeling herself. The Orc continued to cower before them, begging for mercy as the distant sounds of battle slowly faded. Asuna looked up to see Kirito finishing off the last of the Orcs, watching as they exploded into bright blue shards of light, signifying their defeat. The Black Swordsman strode over, ignoring the Lightning Flash and her party as he raised his sword to point at the final Orc trembling before him.

"Two days ago a player came through these woods. She was alone, with a one-handed sword and teal coloured hair." Kirito paused, giving the Orc a moment to visualise the woman before continuing, "I hear your group attacked her…" He raising his sword threateningly, fury resonating on his face, "where…did…she…go?"

"I…don't know! I don't know! I never saw a female like that before!" The Orc whined, desperately trying to look anywhere but Kirito's enraged face. Asuna had never seen him so furious before. He was beginning to scare her.

Kirito stared on, his eyes fixed on the Orc, his sword still raised.

"Okay, okay!" The enemy whined, beginning to sound desperate, "the female came through here two days ago, as you said. We attacked her, but she was strong. She got away…" Kirito's eyes hardened, so the Orc continued, "She shouldn't have gotten too far though, we hurt her pretty bad! She should be easy for you to finish…"

"You harmed her?!" Kirito interjected, his voice going dangerously low, dripping with barely-supressed anger as he pressed the tip of his blade against the terrified Orc's throat.

The Orc squealed, fearing for its life. Asuna could see why, it had misinterpreted Kirito's prior reaction, assuming that he was after the lone player himself. Asuna sighed in relief, relaxing slightly at this new revelation.

"No…no…we didn't harm her too badly…she…uh…she managed to make it to the safety of the town! It's…uh…west of here…" the Orc trailed off, awaiting the swordsman's reaction in dread.

The Lightning Flash and her guild watched on, frozen, as Kirito slowly lowered his sword, exclaiming: "You'd better hope that I find her alive, or…" he trailed off, possibly from the fear behind that thought, unable to finish threat.

The Orc quickly got up, scampering away as quickly as its limbs could carry it. Asuna approached Kirito as he sheathed his blade, apprehension appearing on his face as he finally registered that she was there.

"What's going on Kirito?" Asuna asked as she stopped in front of him, getting straight to the point. "Who is this woman you're looking for?"

The Black Swordsman met her eyes with a worried expression. "Adira…" he started, "…she's a…friend." He stuttered, seeming to find it difficult to express. "Her name was greyed out on my friends list a few days ago…I've been trying to find her ever since…" He fell into silence.

A friend? She knew that someone considered to be a friend was something special to Kirito, and that he would do anything for them, but that didn't stop her stomach from twisting slightly as the words came out of his mouth. She shook her head. That didn't matter now.

"Can't you find her on your map?" She asked, meeting his eyes with her own.

"Ever since her name was greyed out on my friends list, I haven't been able to interact with her in any way through my menu." He said, worrying seeping into his words. He looked down to the floor, his facial expression seeming to age him. "She's being hunted..."

Asuna tenderly reached out and grabbed his face in her hands, bringing his eyes back to up to her level. She gazed into them deeply, observing how exhausted he looked.

"How long has it been since you last slept?" She questioned lightly. He gave no answer. "How long?..."

Kirito mumbled something, hoping she would drop it, but Asuna wasn't taking no for an answer. She shot him a stern look, making him feel even more intimidated than the Orc that he had been questioning moments ago. "Five days…I think…" he finally answered.

Asuna felt her heart stretch slightly in sympathy, he looked so tired she could hardly believe that he was still standing. This woman must be quite special to him, she thought to herself. She was suddenly aware that her hands were still holding his face. She gently pulled them away.

Kirito stood still for a while, seemingly finding her presence comforting, but soon he began to slowly move away. Asuna's face dropped slightly as he pulled away, causing him to hesitate.

"She's being hunted Asuna," he said, turning back to face her, "there's a dangerous group of monsters after her and she's alone…I…I can't stop until she's safe…"

Asuna awkwardly stared back at him, unsure of what to say. After a moment that seemed like forever, he turned away once more and began to head west.

"What do we do?" one of her guild members asked her, breaking the silence.

"I…I don't know…"


	3. Safe Zone?

Chapter 2 / Safe Zone?:

Exhaustion. That was all that the Black Swordsman could feel. That and the constant worry that had been embedded deep within him for the past five days. The sun was just beginning to set when Kirito reached the town. He paused at the entrance to the safe zone, debating on what his next move should be. After a pause that felt like an age, he finally decided that the tavern was his best bet at finding Adira.

All of the players turned to face him as he entered, looking up from their tables. The npc's, however, were oblivious, their only purpose was to make the place seem more lively. A middle-aged player got up from his seat and approached Kirito.

"You wouldn't happen to be Kirito, would you?" The stranger asked.

"Yeah…uh…that's me…" Kirito replied, taken aback. "Sorry uh…do I…know you?"

"I'm so sorry, how rude me of. My name is Albert." He replied. "You're probably wondering how I knew who you were." He paused. "Lone player, one-handed sword, black coat. Adira's description of you was exactly on point."

Kirito paused for a second, a shocked look taking residence upon his face. "You…you know Adira? Is she safe?!" he asked desperately.

"I do." Albert responded, "she came into town two days ago. She was badly hurt. Said her menu items weren't working. She's been taking it easy the past two days. Letting her natural health regeneration do its thing. I asked her if she had any family or friends in this game, and she described you. She was so sure you'd be coming for her."

"Yeah…I'm just sorry it took as long as it did…" Kirito spoke, guilt at not getting there sooner beginning to form in his stomach. Albert reached out and put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"What matters is that you're here now." He stated, eyes boring into the Black Swordman's. "Come on, I'll take you to her." Albert began to move forward, continuing: "She's currently visiting the weapons vendor to repair her equipment."

Kirito sighed in relief and followed the older man out of the tavern. They walked across the safe zone for a few minutes, discussing Adira's condition and her connection to Kirito, when they suddenly heard the sound of a war horn coming from ahead. They froze.

"What is that?" Albert questioned, gazing in Kirito's direction in the hope of answers.

"I really don't kn…" Kirito was cut off as he was shoved aside by a group of players from behind. They rushed past the two of them, heading towards the source of the horn. The Black Swordsman regained his footing. "What was that about?"

"That's the resident guild of this town." Albert informed him. "They call themselves the Iron Will. This must be some sort of training exercise…"

Albert trailed off, finding it hard to convince himself that that was all that was happening. Kirito gave him a look of sympathy, wishing he could believe it too. A piercing scream abruptly cut through their thoughts.

"I don't suppose that could be part of the exercise?" Albert asked hopefully, turning to look at Kirito to find that he was already running towards the commotion. After a brief moment of hesitation, he followed.

The two of them came skidding to a halt when they saw the source of the screams. A pair of identical npc's, armoured head-to-toe in bronze, were wading through a sea of panicked players, cutting down anyone who came close to them.

"That's…impossible." Albert stated. "There can't be enemies here…the towns are supposed to be safe zones…"

Kirito was lost in his own thoughts. Bronze armour, defying the normal restrictions bound to enemies. They could only be one thing…

"Kirito! What do we do? How can they be in the safe zone?" Albert repeated, desperate for some sort of answer.

"They're called Dusk Demons…" the Black Swordsman replied, his face rigid with tension. "I had Argo investigate into what was hunting Adira when she first went missing. They don't abide by the same rules as other enemy types."

The commander of the Iron Will guild was screaming orders to anyone who would listen, attempt to get his troops under control and organised. Kirito quickly approached him.

"You need to withdraw all of your people. NOW!" Kirito ordered as the commander turned around to face him, shocked to find a solo player giving him orders.

"What?! Are you out of your mind?! These things are running rampant through this town. My men are the only ones who can stop them!" he argued, glaring at the random kid.

"Your men are getting slaughtered over there!" Kirito growled. "These are Dusk Demons! They don't play by the rules your men are used to. Look at them! Their attack patterns can't be predicted, they fight more like players than they do npc's! Taking them on is suicide!"

The commander paused momentarily, re-observing his adversaries for a second. He returned his gaze to the black dressed player. "And I should just take it in good faith that you know what you're talking about then, should I?"

Kirito opened his mouth, unsure of what to say to convince the commander to trust him, when one of the guild members spoke up: "Sir, he's the Black Swordsman. The Beater who fights on the front-lines. He's just about as experienced as you can get."

The commander paused once more, processing this new information. He had heard rumours of the Black Swordsman, but surely a kid this young couldn't be him. Screams drew his attention back to the battle raging on behind him. His men were being torn apart, the enemies were too well armoured, they couldn't land a hit. He sighed.

"I hope you know what you're doing kid." He breathed as he opened his menu to send a warning notification to his guild, ordering them to retreat. "There are still plenty of low-level players out there who are going to get killed by those thi…"

"I'll handle it." Kirito interjected firmly as he strode forward, heading towards the chaos.

"What are you doing?!" Albert shouted after him. "I thought you said that taking those things on was suicide!"

"That's my problem Albert!" Kirito replied, drawing his sword from its sheath on his back. "I'm inconsistent!"

Pouring all of his focus onto the two enemies before him, he charged.

A young member of the Iron Will guild was helpless. Knocked to floor, their weapon, a battle-axe, meters away from them, they looked up in fear as the first of the two Dusk Demons approached, raising its sword with a speed that the player had no hope of dodging. The guild member closed their eyes, trembling as they heard the clash of metal against metal. They slowly opened one of their eyes, confused as to why they were still alive, to find the jagged bronze blade of the Demon to be blocked by a straight black bladed one. They gasped in surprise as they noticed the dark robed figure, standing over them protectively, holding the enemies weapon up with their own.

"Get out of here!" Kirito barked, struggling to keep the Demons blade aloft. "I can't hold it forever!"

The player swiftly scrambled to their feet, racing off into retreat without a moments hesitation. Kirito poured all of his strength into pushing his opponents sword away, but it wasn't enough. The Demon pushed harder, forcing Kirito back a few steps, his feet scraping against the floor in an attempt to make himself immovable. He looked up into the eyes of the creature, which stared coldly back at him. Just as it seemed like the contest of strength between the two of them had reached a standstill, the solo player was struck with a thought. Where was the second Demon?

The Black Swordsman suddenly felt pressure on the back of his thigh. He attempted to twist out of the way, breaking the standstill with his first enemy, rolling to the side to put some distance between them. He looked down to his left, noting the glowing red slice that was now protruding from his thigh. He looked back up, locking his attention to the second Dusk Demon, his leg tingling from the cut.

Pain wasn't the same in Aincrad as it was in the real world. The pain dampeners made wounds feel like a numbing sensation. Kirito liked to compare it to when you get pins-and-needles. Although it didn't hurt anywhere near as bad as it should, he still found it distracting.

Kirito observed their movements as they began to circle him, taking either side as they deliberately manoeuvred in a slow, threatening manner. He had to admit that whoever coded these npc's had done an amazing job, he couldn't spot any signs in their posture as to how they were going to attack. Just as the two of them reached opposite sides of Kirito, they struck, swiping their blades through the air to hit…nothing.

The Black Swordsman was known for his speed in battle. He wasn't quite as fast as Asuna the Lightning Flash, but he could keep up with the best of fighters. A fact that the Dusk Demons found out when he leapt into the air, using the games programmed agility to his advantage as he flipped over his opponents, landing behind the first one to attack, activating a sword skill before striking forward, his blade ricocheting off of the Demons armour.

Kirito stumbled to the side, momentarily loosing his balance. He regained his composure quickly, turning to block a swing from the other Demon. Whilst mid-block, he ducked, catching the movement of the first enemy's blade out of the corner of his eye. This left an opening for the second one to overpower him, pushing forwards to knock Kirito's blade from his hands.

The solo player hit the ground, rolling upright with ease after almost two years experience in this death game. His two opponents were blocking his path back to his sword. He threw a throwing knife as the first began advancing in the hope of stunning them slightly, but it simply bounced off of the bronze shaded armour. Kirito switched to the defensive, relying on his speed and agility to keep his opponent from landing a fatal hit. He knew he couldn't keep things up much longer, he was exhausted. He was pushing himself to his most extreme limits. Time seemed to slow down as he had a sudden brain wave. He couldn't reach his sword, but there was something else he could use instead. Kirito lunged forwards, ignoring the Demon that was rapidly closing the distance behind him, picking up the battle-axe that the young player earlier had dropped. He spun round just in time to block his opponent's attack, pushing them away and regaining his composure.

The solo player began to take the offensive, continuously swinging the axe towards the Demon in front of him, preventing them from launching a counter attack. He pressed on, knowing that there was only so much he could do with a weapon that he currently had no compatible sword skills for.

As if to prove this point, he was suddenly disarmed for the second time when the other Demon seemingly got impatient, deciding to join the fray. There was only one ability he had left now. He activated a martial art skill, his fist glowing a bright yellow colour as it connected with an enemy, sending them staggering backwards. He used the sudden change of space to retrieve his sword, sending a quick swipe to his nearest opponent.

The blade caught the Demon in its knee, bringing them to the floor. He must have found a chink in the enemies armour, he thought, immediately focusing his attention onto the second opponent, activating another sword skill. He leapt towards them, bringing their swords together in a bright clash.

The two fighters battled on, neither managing to find the leeway for a critical hit on the other. Just when Kirito felt like he was going to pass out from fatigue, he found an opening. Activating another martial arts skill, he launched his fist into the Demon's helmet, staggering them long enough for the solo player swipe across, his blade passing through the gap in the neckline of the creatures armour. The Demon began to glow, its shade becoming a brighter and brighter blue, until it burst into a million shards.

Kirito fell to his knees, exhaustion getting the better of him. He looked over to see the second Demon still on the ground, seemingly unable to get up. They must be susceptible to critical hits, he observed, closing his eyes for a few seconds.

After a moments rest, Kirito got back to his feet, slowing manoeuvring his way towards the downed enemy. He gripped his sword tightly, raising it forwards.

"What do you want with…" he began, getting cut off by the sound of a war horn. Turning to the direction of the source, he saw more Dusk Demons rushing into the forest at the edge of the town, in pursuit of something. Or someone. Realisation dawned on him as his stomach began to knot uncomfortably.

"Adira…"

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 **Just a note or two:**

 **-Dusk Demons…not the best name ever but then names have never really been my strong point. I thought it sounded quite video-game-esque though, so yeah…**

 **-I wanted the Demons to be a different type of enemy, who fight with random moves, making them as unpredictable and dangerous as a player. I thought that the game would have some way to counteract this difficulty though, which is why I decided to give them critical points to hit instead of health bars, allowing them to be taken down quickly with precise attacks**

 **-For those of you who don't know, Argo the Rat is a character who specialises in retrieving information for a price. She only appears once in the anime in** ** _Red Nosed Reindeer_** **, she's the one who tells Kirito about the St Nicholas boss, although I don't think she was ever named in the show**


	4. The Hunt

Chapter 3 / The Hunt:

Fear. That was all the Black Swordsman could comprehend as he pushed himself further, sprinting through the forest despite his exhaustion. His virtual body felt no pain, but mentally he was wiped.

Kirito ran as fast as his legs would carry him, weaving between the trees in an attempt to catch up with the pack of Dusk Demons currently hunting Adira. He burst through a bush, coming to a halt in front of a tiny stream. He looked around, searching for any sign as to where his enemies had gone. Panic rose within him as he failed to find any form of evidence.

"Come on…please…" he begged, possibly to the game itself. There must be something that he was missing. Right? Wasn't that how things worked? There was always something.

Kirito fell to his knees, despair getting the better of him. He felt hopeless, useless even. What was the point of anything if he couldn't even save his friend?

His thoughts swirled darker and darker, hopelessness and self-hatred consuming him. He had a sudden stroke of luck, however, when the Demon's war horn sounded once more. He looked up, snapping his head round to the direction it had come from. He was on his feet in an instant, rushing forwards towards certain danger.

If the horn had sounded again then it must mean that they are close to Adira, he thought, pouring all of his effort into his virtual bodies movements. He ran for what felt like forever, racing as if a life depended on it, which in fact, one did. He slowed to a halt when he reached the edge of clearing, taking a moment to catch his breath and survey the scene in front of him.

A female player was sprawled in the dirt, unable to fight any longer. The teal haired woman wore a plain white tunic, with black full-length bottoms and a one handed sword sheath strapped to her side. The missing weapon was nowhere to be seen. Kirito was surprised at how little Adira had changed since the last time they had seen each other.

She was surrounded by a group of Dusk Demons, five of them, Kirito noted, all of which had their swords drawn. He was in luck, he thought, realising that they were all unarmoured. Each Demon was humanoid, with dark grey skin and cold black eyes.

"I can do this. I have to…" Kirito muttered, boosting his confidence, "…they're all vulnerable. They don't have health bars, only critical points. It'll only take one precise hit to finish off each one…" He trailed off, drawing his sword as he pulled on all of his focus. He began to charge a specific sword skill: Sonic Leap. His blade glowed blue as he prepared the dash, directing his attention to the Demon closest to Adira.

The Demon slashed its sword, the blade rushing in a diagonal arc towards Adira. The Demon suddenly burst into bright shards, its weapon never finding the target as a black clad figure flew past, skidding to a halt next to the teal haired woman. Kirito took a moment to send Adira a reassuring smile before turning to face his remaining four opponents, sword positioned in a protective stance across his body.

He paused, waiting for the enemies to make the first move. They slowly began to circle him, much like the previous Demons he had faced. He decided to take the initiative, impatient of waiting. Kirito rushed forwards, locking blades with the first of the Dusk Demons. He grimaced, frustrated that his attack had been blocked. He quickly moved, breaking his standstill before rushing to meet the next enemy, who had been sneaking up behind him. The solo player launched a throwing knife, hitting the Demon in its sword arm, staggering them for a moment. A moment was all he needed, bringing his blade around in a clean arc to slice through his opponent, exploding them into bright shards.

He returned to his defensive position, dodging attacks from the remaining Demons. Three left. He blocked a swing from the first to attack, using a sword skill to carry him into the air. He must have taken the attacker by surprise, as he caught them in a critical point, slamming to the ground, disintegrating his enemy in the process. Two left.

Both the remaining Demons attacked him simultaneously. He managed to counter one, landing a decent hit, although not enough to defeat them. The other caught Kirito in the back, consuming a good chunk of his health. He was in bad shape, he knew that he couldn't keep this battle up much longer. In a desperate attempt, the Black Swordsman threw his sword at the Demon who had damaged him, catching them in the chest. Kirito rushed forwards as they fell to their knees, swiftly grabbing his blade whilst spring-boarding off of the creatures chest, using the extra momentum to attack the last Demon, who had been tailing him, ready to strike. Kirito struck first, destroying the enemy as he sliced them in two.

The Black Swordsman slowly stood, glowing shards swirling through the air around him. He was breathing heavily, using his remaining focus to keep himself from collapsing. After a moment's breather, he turned, his eyes meeting the player's whom he had spent the past five days tracking.

Adira slowly stood, shakily getting to her feet as Kirito crossed the distance between them. They entangled themselves in a hug, relieved that they had finally found each other again.

"Adira, are you okay?" Kirito asked as they parted, concern deep within his voice.

"Now I am, yeah..." Adira responded, cruising through her menu for something. "It's been a rough week, but I've survived. Those Demons are really insistent." She finally found the option she had been looking for, exclaiming a short "aha!" before pressing the option. Kirito watched as all of her inventories items materialised before him, piling up into a small mound of weapons and armour.

"You retrieved all of your items? Wh…" He asked, pausing in his questions when Adira picked up her primary sword, understanding glinting in his eyes.

"Shall we get going then?" She asked, sheathing her sword before returning the rest of her items to her inventory.

"Yeah, I know a good place..." Kirito replied, fatigue entering his voice. The two of them began to move, staggering off deeper into the forest, their minds pretesting from exhaustion.

* * *

 **Hey, just another note:**

 **-the retrieve all items trick can be used to regain a lost weapon if performed within an hour of loosing it. It might have been called something different, but its along those lines. I think it was in the first SAO Progressive novel, but it might have popped up somewhere else.**


	5. Sanctuary

Chapter 4 / Sanctuary:

Confusion. The word summed up Adira's thought process as she awoke from the most relaxing sleep she had experienced in an age. Where was she? She looked around, searching for anything recognisable.

"You can relax, you're safe." A masculine voice informed her, as Kirito shuffled into her line of sight. "We're in a monastery hidden away in the mountains. I thought that since barely any players know about it, then with any luck it'll take them longer to find us here."

"I don't remember getting here…" Adira stated, desperately trying to remember, "…we were…walking through the forest when…"

"You passed out…" Kirito interjected, "…probably from fatigue. You must have been exhausted." He continued, locking his eyes to hers.

"You don't look much better," She countered, noting his slouched posture. "How long has it been since you last slept?"

"That doesn't matter now." He replied quickly, changing the subject. "What matters is finding out why the Dusk Demons are after you. What they want. Argo couldn't decipher the why, only the who…I don't suppose you have any ideas?"

"Actually I do…A week or two ago I…uh…I received a special skill…" She paused, unsure of how to continue. "It…uh…it's an evasive skill called Temporal Dash…it's not in the manual…it works kind of like a…a magical teleport dash I guess…"

"Magic?" Kirito repeated the word, utterly shocked by it. "I didn't think there was any magic accessible to players in SAO…"

"Yeah…well…it seems to be a skill exclusive to me." She informed him, intently watching Kirito's reaction. His face seemed to reflect astonishment only for a second, before swiftly settling into a form of acceptance. That didn't take much convincing, she thought, he doesn't seem surprised at the game having skills exclusive to one player. She continued on, "that's what the Demons are after me for. They want the magic that this power contains. My friends menu and status items have been locked off ever since they began their hunt."

Kirito paused for a moment, smiling to himself before speaking. "You've always found it easy to get into trouble." He exclaimed wistfully, chuckling in the process.

"Hey! You're one to talk! You must be rubbing off on me!"

Kirito was fighting to keep a smile off of his face. "You were the one who wanted to be trained, remember?! I can't help if you decided to take my recklessness a bit too literally!"

* * *

 _ **FLASHBACK BEGINNING! A FEW DAYS AFTER HIS ENCOUNTER WITH THE NICHOLAS THE RENEGADE BOSS:**_

Adira was alone. She was scared. She had spent so long in the Town of Beginnings, only moving on when she could tag along with big groups of players to protect her. She only knew the most basic of sword skills, relying on the others to move between safe zones. She had never gotten too attached to the other players, as they had always kicked her out of their groups when they got fed up with her uselessness. That was how she had ended up out here in the wilderness, alone.

She knew that it was a mistake, travelling solo. What if a monster attacked? How would she defend herself? The only thing that she knew was that she had to prove her own worth. She had to show herself, and everyone else, that she could survive. The only reason she had bought this game was because she had thought it would be a relaxing escape from reality. Somewhere that she could flee to, where there were no risks, no pressure. Things had really turned out the way she wanted them to, she thought sarcastically, laughing at her own ignorance.

Adira was suddenly knocked to the floor from behind. She quickly scrambled to her feet, attempting to run to find that her exit was blocked by her attacker. She slowly faced the enemy, which growled menacingly. It was a wolf. At least, Aincrad's version of a wolf. The beast was overly stylised, with a sharply pointed tail and ears, jet black fur, and menacing amber eyes. Two more identical looking creatures stood behind the first, boxing Adira in. She wanted to cry. What had she done in her life to deserve this?

The wolves ears twitched, causing them to turn their heads as a black clad figure leapt over them, landing alongside the panicked Adira.

"You know how to fight?" He asked, drawing his dark one-handed sword in preparation for the closing battle. Adira was silent, lips trembling as she fell to her knees, feeling more useless than ever.

The mysterious solo player went to work, falling into a rhythm of dodging and attacking the wolves, predicting their pre-determined strike patterns. Adira watched in awe as the darkly dressed swordsman defeated the enemies one by one, whittling their health down until they burst into polygons. He turned back to face her, taking the time to sheath his sword before walking away.

"Wait!" Adira shouted after him, bringing the stranger to a halt. "Um…if it's not too much trouble…would…would you be able to take me to the next town?" The experienced player paused, deep in thought. "I'm useless, I can't fight. I shouldn't have come out here." Adira continued, suppressed emotions bursting forth. "I know that you've already gone out of your way to help me once, but…" She trailed off, loosing her words as she discovered the look on the swordsman's face.

He looked as if he was in a dark place. Like he was considering her request, but was wary of getting too close people. As if he thought that attachment was a road that led only to pain. She thought she detected a glint of empathy from him, as if he truly felt sorry for her.

"I'll…I'll take you to the next town. But you'll need to learn how to fight if you want to survive this game." He said flatly, stating a fact.

"Thank you! Thank you! I…you're right," she said, steadily getting to her feet. "I'll have to learn. I just…I came out here to prove that I could handle myself, and look where that got me. I…I just need someone to teach me what to do…to point me in the right direction." She muttered, talking more to herself than to the stranger at this point.

He hesitated, eyes boring into her as if he was analysing her potential, before speaking. "I…I could train you." He spoke quietly, his face contorting in surprise, as if he couldn't believe the words that had just come out of his mouth. He realised that she probably hadn't heard him, so he repeated himself, this time louder. "I can teach you how to survive in this game…if you want?"

"You would do that?! Really?!" Adira asked, her voice filling with hope. "Not that I'm ungrateful, but…why?"

The swordsman looked skittish, unsure of how to answer. "I…you remind me of someone. Someone else who I met in this game. They…they also needed help coming to terms with this world. I know it sounds stupid but I could…I could see their potential, and what they could become here…and I can see the same potential in you." He said, opening up to her.

Adira was speechless. Shocked by his honesty. After a long stretch of awkward silence, she raised her hand, extending it to the stranger.

"My name's Adira."

"Kirito."

* * *

 ** _FLASHBACK END! BACK TO THE MONASTRY:_**

"Yeah…well…I guess it was worth it. I learnt a lot out of your training, even if I did pick up a few bad habits..." Adira said. After a moments silence, she decided to test her luck, asking about the subject she had been dying to hear about for ages. "So…how is Asuna doing?"

Kirito jumped, taken by surprise. "Asuna?! She's great…um…just great…" He stuttered, his mind drawing a temporary blank. "I…I didn't even know that you knew her?"

"I don't." Adira replied, a sly smile creeping onto her face. "But you used to mention her all of the time. What happened? You haven't gone off of her, have you?"

"What?!" Kirito squealed, his face flushing. "Who said I was into her in the first place?"

"You didn't have to…"

"Wha…" Kirito stopped himself, deciding that responding would just make things worse. Adira was giving him a knowing look, as if she had his and Asuna's whole future planned out already. He liked Asuna, but she was…he didn't have words to describe how he felt about her.

"Why are you so interested in my romantic life?" Kirito asked, composing himself.

"Because you two are so perfect for each other!" Adira exclaimed, excitement getting the better of her. "I've heard so many rumours of the Black Swordsman and the Lightning Flash's adventures, I hope at least some of them are true." She teased, winking at him.

Kirito was speechless. He was too busy processing the information to talk. Rumours? What rumours? Sure, he had been on plenty of adventures with Asuna, but what exactly was Adira implying?

Just as he was about to ask, a notification popped up in the corner of his vision. From the reaction that Adira gave, she had received one too. Kirito opened his menu, accessing his notifications to find a message with the seal of the Dark Elves. Adira was simply staring at her menu, unable to access her notifications. Kirito opened it and read the message. He paused before informing Adira of its contents.

"It's the queen of the Dark Elves. She's called a meeting for all of her forces, including the players aligned with her. They're concerned about a new threat they've discovered…the Dusk Demons."

* * *

 **Just some more notes:**

 **-Felt the need to add a flashback into this chapter, providing some context to the Kirito/Adira relationship by showing that he was training Adira when he disappeared after the events with the Moonlit Black Cats, as the synopsis teases. I feel like Adira is the kind of character that Asuna could have been if she and Kirito had stayed together. Which is not to say that I don't like Asuna's character. I love Asuna's character, she's awesome!**

 **-As I briefly tried to describe, Kirito is in a very dark place after the Moonlit Black Cats. He is wary of getting too close to others to save himself from the pain of loosing them. I felt like this was one of the reasons he acted as he did with Klein at the end of** ** _Red Nosed Reindeer_** **, that and the shame of leaving him on the first day of the game.**

 **-I know that the fight with the wolves was quite short, but I felt like Kirito would have found it a lot easier than his fights with the Dusk Demons. The novels always show him using the pre-determined move sets of the enemies to predict and counter their attacks. He uses the game against itself, which is why he is such a powerful player. Also, although this fic has a fair amount of action in the story, I wanted it to primarily be a character piece. Or at least that's the goal anyway…**

 **-I thought that Adira would travel with other players to get to towns instead of teleporting because she hadn't really fought properly before, so she wouldn't have any money or teleport crystals. I couldn't remember whether the teleport gates require some form of payment to active.**

 **-Who could that person who Adira reminded Kirito of be? (Asuna at the beginning of SAO Progressive maybe?)**

 **-I keep trying to write Kirito as this legendary figure. We already know that he is one of, if not the best player in the game, and I feel like other would view his mastery of the games skills in a sense of awe. That's just my personal interpretation anyway.**


	6. An Elf Alliance

Chapter 5 / An Elf Alliance:

Amazement. That was the feeling that consumed Kirito and Adira as they arrived at the Dark Elf camp. It was full of activity, with elves rushing in and out of the many tents that were scattered around the forest clearing.

"I'm glad you were there to activate the teleport gate for me." Adira said, looking over at Kirito to flash him a smile. "I couldn't have gotten very far otherwise…" She trailed off, noticing that his attention was elsewhere.

"There are Forest Elves here." Kirito stated, confused at this revelation. Forest Elves in a Dark Elf camp? The two races were mortal enemies, why would they both be here?

Adira seemed to jump onto the same trail of thought. "They must be seriously worried about the Demons if they're prepared to put aside their differences and come together like this."

Kirito nodded in agreement. He observed the crowd, his vision glancing across the masses until it halted on a small group. He stopped in his tracks, Adira stumbling slightly as she turned to look at him, questioning his behaviour. Kirito was too busy gazing at the group in front of him. Adira noticed where he was looking, her all-knowing smile returning to her face as realisation dawned upon her.

The green indicators above their heads notified him that they were players, but he could have told that anyway. They wore matching white and red outfits, symbolising their affliction to their guild. The commander had her back to him, busy addressing her group. When she had finished speaking, dismissing them, one of the members pointed Kirito and his partner out to her. She turned, her almond shaded hair swishing around as her face lit up, her sparkling blue eyes meeting his black ones. As she spoke, he saw the words on her lips before he heard them. "Kirito!"

"Hey, Asuna." He said awkwardly, desperately trying to ignore the cheeky grin that was plastered across Adira's face. Asuna bounced over, pulling Kirito into an encompassing hug.

Adira's eyebrows shot up in surprise as the hug continued to draw out. She was getting the message loud and clear, clearing her throat before speaking. "I'm going to go and get something to eat from the vendor over there. I'll give you two some…ah…alone time." She turned and walked off, chuckling to herself as she noticed both of their faces flushing in embarrassment. The pair separated, taking a moment to compose themselves before speaking.

"You're looking better." Asuna stated, slightly unsure of what to say. "You still look exhausted, but at least it's better than the last time I saw you."

"Yeah, I found Adira..." Kirito said, scratching the back of his head. He missed the disheartened look that entered her face as she turned to look over to the vendor where Adira had gone to. Asuna forced a smile onto her face, bringing her head back around to meet his eyes.

"She looks nice." She said, once again unsure of what to say. "…She's looking well for someone who has spent the last how long on the run…"

"Yeah, she's had it rough." He replied. "I tried to convince her not to come, but she's as stubborn as I am…" Asuna took a moment before asked what she was dying to know.

"How did you guys meet?" She questioned, trying to play it off casually. Inside she was dreading the possible responses that had entered her mind.

"We met a few days after Christmas last year." Kirito replied, opening up to her. "She was alone and inexperienced in the game world. We trained together for a while, before going our separate ways. We still met up regularly and teamed up for the occasional fight, but I guess we both found ourselves more suited to the solo play-style…"

"You were away from the front lines for a while. We all wondered where you'd gotten to." Asuna said. "Your friend Klein told us that you seemed off back then. I was…I mean _we_ …we were worried about you."

Kirito paused, surprised at how comfortable he felt opening up to her. "I was in dark place back then. I lost…umm…some things happened which took me a while to move on from. I guess training Adira was what I needed at the time to help me reassess things and move forward with my life."

"She must be quite…special to you then." Asuna spoke, her voice cracking slightly.

"She is…but she wasn't…" He stopped himself, realising that he might be sharing a bit too much.

"She wasn't what?" Asuna questioned, a slight glimmer of hope appearing inside of her. Her eyes bore into his, silently informing him that she wouldn't let this go. Kirito sighed, realising that it was too late to stop himself now.

"Adira…she wasn't the only one who helped me through that time in my life…" He stopped, his voice failing him for a second. "…uncovering the mystery behind the player killings in the safe zone with you…" He paused again, fear gripping him. He was unsure of how she would react to his confession. "…it was what helped me to finally re-discover my place in this world and continue to move forward…"

Asuna was speechless, her lips twitching in shock. The glimmer of hope growing stronger. Perhaps she still had a chance with him. She opened her mouth to speak, deciding that it was time for her to return the favour and open up to him too when a loud voice butted in, catching them both by surprise.

"Hey! Kirito! How yah doing buddy?!" Klein exclaimed, striding over to them with his guild members in tow. He had flaming red hair, his guild's armour coloured in exactly the same way. He stopped suddenly, noticing who the Black Swordsman was with. "Asuna?! The Lightning Flash?! What are you two rascals doing together?!"

"Wha…What?! Nothing?!" Kirito replied a little too quickly. "We just…uh…bumped into each other here."

"So…" Klein glared at the solo player, his eyes clearly showing that he didn't believe him. He decided to drop the subject…for now. He would have to interrogate Kirito for the details of this relationship later. He changed the subject matter. "…I guess you two both completed the Elf War quest way back on floor three then?"

"Yeah…" Kirito sighed with relief. "We're aligned with the Dark Elves. Which side did you choose?"

"The Dark Elves?!" Klein cried. "Why did you go with them?! The Forest Elves are way cooler!"

Kirito shook his head, smiling as he turned to Asuna for backup.

"I think we made the right choice with the Dark Elves." Asuna stated. "Besides…we got a good friend out of it…maybe a little too good if you ask Kirito…"

"Hey?!" Kirito exclaimed. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well, we had the choice to side with a man or a woman. And we both know which one you chose…" Asuna teased.

"We both agreed on that decision!" Kirito stated firmly. "Besides…they're _Dark_ Elves… _DARK_ …that's kind of my thing…"

"Ahhhhh! We're not buying that excuse!" Klein goaded. "You saved her because she was a girl!"

"The reason matters not…" A soft feminine voice claimed from behind them. "…I am indebted to the two of them either way."

They all turned to find a Dark Elf warrior standing before them. She had pointed ears and violet shaded hair. Asuna was the first to recognise her.

"Kizmel!" She cried joyously, rushing over to embrace the npc. "It's great to see you!"

"Long time no see Kizmel!" Kirito chimed in, a smile cracking across his face. "It's been a while."

"That it has my friend." Kizmel replied as Asuna let go of her. "I can't stay as I have to see the Queen now…she'll be pleased to learn that the two of you are here. Perhaps we can meet up later and do what your people call, catching up?" She asked, slightly confused by the term.

"Yeah, that'd be great!" Asuna said, eyes lighting up in excitement.

"Then I will bid you farewell for now." The Dark Elf told her, bowing her head slightly before wandering off back into the crowd.

"She was very realistic for an npc." Adira stated as she returned to the group. "Did I miss anything?" She asked, raising her eyebrow into Kirito's direction.

Klein grabbed Kirito and pulled him aside before he could speak, leaning in close before whispering, "how many women do you know Kirito? You're going to have to introduce us!"

Kirito sighed before pulling himself away from his red-headed friend, regaining his composure before speaking.

"Guys, this is Adira…" he stated half-heartedly. "…Adira, these are my friends, Asuna…" Adira smirked slightly when the name left his lips. He was _so_ going to kill her in a minute. "…and Klein." Kirito felt awkward not introducing Klein's guild members, but he'd never actually spoken to any of them before. Klein opened his mouth to speak, most likely in an attempt to woo Adira with his manly charms, but he was cut off by the sound of an elvish horn, bringing everyone's attention round to a group of Elves, which had taken residence in the middle of the clearing.

A raven haired woman stepped forward, her armour grey, sparkling in the evening sunlight. The npc oozed authority from her posture alone. The Queen of the Dark Elves, Kirito thought to himself. He'd only met her once, briefly after completing an important mission for the Dark Elves. He noticed the friendly face of Kizmel, who was stood to her left. An auburn haired man was situated to the Queen's right, a slight gap taking residence between the two of them. His armour had a bronze tint to it, leading Kirito to assume that he was the King of the Forest Elves, the rival race of the Dark Elves.

"My people! I know many of you are confused as to why we have aligned ourselves with the Forest Elves." The Queen spoke, her voice riding the fine line between soft and firm. "But I am afraid that we are under threat from an enemy that could wipe out the both of us!" She paused, giving the news a moment to sink in before continuing. "They call themselves the Dusk Demons! These creatures fight unlike any other we have experienced before! They have overrun our sacred castle in the mountains! This cannot be allowed to stand! We must strike them down before they come for us!"

The Forest Elf King stepped forwards. "We know little of their ways!" The king announced, his voice deep and powerful, sharp like a knife. "Only that they seek a human! One with a powerful magic that they require for their plans!"

"Kirito!" The Queen called out, her eyes, along with everyone else's locking onto him. "Kizmel speaks highly of you and your knowledge of this world. Do you know of whom these Demons seek?"

"I…Uhh…I do not…your majesty…" He replied, nervous about being put on the spot. Both Asuna and Adira, who were situated either side of him, shot him an apprehensive look. He ignored them.

"…Very well." The Queen continued. "We will attack tomorrow at dawn!" She announced, dismissing the crowd that had gathered with a wave of her hand, striding off to her own private tent, officials in tow.

"Kirito…" Adira began, quickly being cut off by the Black Swordsman.

"I don't see any reason why them knowing would make a difference." He stated flatly, dropping the subject.

"Well…I guess since we're going to war tomorrow we should get some rest." Klein stated, leading his guild off to one of the spare tents. "Night everyone!" He called over his shoulder.

"He's got a point." Asuna said. "Especially for you. You'll need to rest up if you want to be standing by the morning."

"Yeah…I guess you're right…" Kirito replied, his mind choosing that inappropriate moment to allow himself to yawn. "I'll see you two soon."

Kirito wondered off to get his first proper nights sleep in six days, leaving the two women alone, who awkwardly stared at each other for a moment before setting off to find themselves a bed to sleep in for the night.

* * *

 **Guess what? More Notes:**

 **-I tried not to make the Kirito/Asuna reunion too cheesy, but I feel like this is how they would have reacted at this point in the SAO timeline.**

 **-I got the impression that Klein and Asuna had never properly talked to each other before their encounter on the 74** **th** **floor, but I felt as if they would have talked collectively in a group at things like boss-clearing meetings, so they would both know who the other was.**

 **-As I have mentioned before, the Elf War stuff and the character of Kizmel appeared in the SAO Progressive series, if you were wondering where they came from.**

 **-Sorry for the lack of action this chapter, I know it seems like a filler but as I said before, I really want this to be more of a character piece. I wanted to set up Kirito and Asuna's relationship a bit more, filling the gap in the anime to build it up a bit more.**

* * *

 **-I can't remember what fix it was but someone posted songs that inspired them and that summed up the chapter thematically. Thought it was good idea and hopefully it'll help you guys to enjoy the chapters even more!:**

 **#A Tender Feeling / SAO Soundtrack (don't know who the artist is)**

 **#Code of Conduct / Hans Zimmer**

 **#Oliver Returns / Blake Neely**


	7. Siege

Chapter 6 / Siege:

Frustration. That was what Kirito felt as he tried again, hoping for a different result this time.

"I want you to stay here, where it's safe."

"We've been through this!" Adira groaned. "I'm not going to stay back whilst everyone else goes off to fight!" She rolled her eyes. "I have more reason to see the Dusk Demons defeated than most!"

"You also have more reason to stay away from them than most!" Kirito countered, desperately trying to make Adira see reason. Why could she not understand that staying at the Dark Elf camp was the best course of action for her.

"I have one question!" She said, cutting off his thoughts. "And you _will_ answer honestly!" She glared into his eyes, daring him to defy her. "If it was you…would you stay here whilst everyone else fights your battle for you?"

The Black Swordsman paused for a second, debating on whether to lie or not. "I…I couldn't sit back here…no…" He replied half-heartedly, she knew him too well for him to convince her otherwise.

"Then how can you expect me to do so?" She questioned.

"Because it's not me! It's you! You still can't use items and I can't…I can't stand the thought of loosing you!" He blurted out in desperation, eyes falling to the floor.

"Hey…" Adira spoke, her voice softening. "…That's not going to happen. I know you still feel guilty about Sachi and the rest of your old guild, but that's not going to happen again. Besides, I'm way too good to be taken out by a bunch of npc's! I might even be better than you!"

Kirito shot his eyes back up, catching the smirk that had infected her face. "I don't think so!" He shot back, unconvinced. "If you could heal yourself I'd challenge you to duel right now!"

"As entertaining as that would be, no one's challenging anyone to a duel right now!" Asuna stated, entering the tent that they were in. "They've called it. It's time for us to go. We're moving out!"

* * *

It was truly a sight to behold. An immense army battled before a weathered castle. The structure was built into the side of a mountain, protruding from the rock face. Forces of bronze armoured enemies rushed out from the gates, meeting the Elven alliance in brutal combat.

Elves and their allied players fought alike, resisting the overwhelming force of the Dusk Demons. Nearby, a small group of players were using the battle as a distraction, the chaos drawing attention away from them as they snuck closer towards the towering walls ahead.

"This is only the first wave!" Klein whined, worried for his guild, who were fighting in the fray behind them. "We haven't even made it inside the wall yet! How the hell are we supposed to win this?!"

"I warned them that they don't fight like normal enemies." Kirito muttered, on edge from worry. Himself, Klein, Asuna and Adira had been tasked with breaching the castle's defences, destroying the gates so that the army could move in. The Dark Elf Queen herself had entrusted them with this task, probably due to a recommendation from Kizmel. Kirito was going to have to have serious words with that woman when he was through with this.

"We've got to keep moving." Adira told them, pulling their focus away from the battle. "We still need to find a way into the castle."

"What about that gate over there?" Asuna asked, ever the observant one. She pointed to a small infantry gate built into the side of the structures humungous wall. The Demon troops were pouring out of there in short bursts, as they wouldn't risk opening the main gates with an army outside their walls.

"They seem to come out every minute or so. My guess is the system will keep spawning them until we destroy the main gate. If we time it right we could slip through there when the next wave comes out." Kirito replied, analysing the situation. "Only one in the group seems to wear armour, so all we have to do is take the others down quickly before rushing that one together."

"Sounds like a plan!" Klein stated, taking cover behind a rock. The others did the same, biding their time as they waiting for the next wave of Demons to appear.

They didn't have to wait long, as the gate suddenly burst open, six Dusk Demons emerging. The players jumped out from their hiding spots, rushing towards the enemies.

"Somebody grab that door!" Kirito shouted, drawing his sword. "Don't let it close or we'll never get in!"

"I'm on it!" Klein responded, leaping forwards, using a sword skill to carry him the distance to the door. He thrust his sword in the gap, catching it a moment before it closed. He turned, intending to let the others know that he'd caught it, to find a Demon behind him, drawing its blade. Klein's weapon was trapped between the doorframe and the door, leaving him defenceless. A bright orange flash of light slashed through the enemy, disintegrating them before they could strike. Klein watched as Kirito went back to Asuna and Adira, spectating in awe as the three of them hacked their way through the group, swords glowing all sorts of colours as they took them down. Not even the armoured Demon had a chance against their combined might, steadily falling as they danced around it, striking at the weakest points of its armour until it couldn't take any more, bursting into shards.

"Phew! That was amazing guys!" Klein said, excitement getting the better of him. "I've never seen anything so awesome in my entire life!" The others returned their weapons to their sheaths, smiling at each other. Klein prised open the door as they snuck through it, entering the domain of the castle.

The players raced across the battlements, swiftly manoeuvring themselves closer and closer towards the main entrance. They stopped on the top of the wall, directly above the gate. Asuna withdrew a small violet crystal from her inventory.

"So this is supposed to destroy the gate right?" She questioned. "Is that even possible? The structure is surely categorised as an immortal object so I don't see how this'll work."

"It's a quest item." Kirito answered, becoming more and more agitated the longer that they stayed atop the gate, easily in view for the Demon lookouts should they look in their direction. "The Queen gave it to us herself. It has to work."

Asuna was still sceptical, but she trusted Kirito's judgement. She placed the crystal on the floor, preparing to activate it. She looked up at the others, checking whether they were prepared.

"We're ready." Adira confirmed, a serious expression on her face. "We don't know how long we'll have before it detonates, so we better be set to move as soon as you activate it."

Asuna paused for a moment, mentally preparing herself before triggering the crystal. The group turned to run back in the direction that they came from.

"Oh crap!" Klein exclaimed, fear shooting through him. He watched as a small group of Demons approached, blocking their path. "Looks like they spotted us!" He drew his sword from its sheath, manoeuvring his body into a fighting stance. Kirito grabbed him from behind.

"There's no time!" He shouted over his shoulder, pulling Klein along with him in the other direction. "We've got to run!"

The group were suddenly launched forwards by a wall of purple tinted flames, the crystal detonating behind them. The ginormous gates were ripped off of their hinges as the player's pursuers were instantly disintegrated, caught directly in the explosion.

The four fighters hit the ground hard, each receiving a sizable knock to their health bars. Kirito was the first up, struggling slightly from disorientation. He pulled himself together, helping his friends to their feet as the sounds of battle steadily got closer. He observed his surroundings. They were still on top of the wall, the part that was still intact anyway, seated above the commotion as the Dusk Demons mobilised, mustering their forces.

The Black Swordsman checked over the other side of the battlements to see that the Elven army was almost there. He easily picked out the Dark Elf Queen from the crowd. She was leading the charge, glowing with a rich purple energy from the magic that she wielded. If only players could use magical abilities themselves, Kirito thought, with the exception of Adira.

The high-ranking Forest Elf warriors suddenly changed their positions, giving the Black Swordsman an uneasy feeling as they surrounded the Dark Elf Queen. They quickly grabbed her, bringing the army to a halt as they pinned her to the ground. The remaining Forest Elf forces surrounded her, cutting her off from her own people. The Forest Elf King suddenly appeared from the crowd, bending down to talk to the Queen. Kirito was too far away to hear what was being said.

The Dusk Demons were mobilising, lining up in a spearhead formation as they charged through the destroyed gates, towards the immobile army. The Queen was lifted to her feet, the Forest Elf King forcing some sort of magic into her. She began to glow with power, shining brighter than a flame, before unleashing a powerful blast, shaking the ground as the whole world turned purple.

* * *

 **What was that? More notes? You got it!:**

 **-Sorry for the 'I-don't-want-you-going-scene', but I felt like it was necessary. It seemed like the kind of thing Kirito would do.**

 **-I thought that Adira, having been the one to help Kirito get over them, would know about what happened with Sachi and the Moonlit Black Cats.**

 **-Gotta love those group team-up moments, had to put one in here.**

 **-Hopefully this'll make up for last chapter if action is what you wanted. It was necessary to set things up but now we can go on in full force. The remaining few chapters should be full of action moments.**

* * *

 **-Musical Choices:**

 **#It Begins / Danny Elfman**

 **#Shortcut / Brian Tyler**

 **#The End is Near / Audiomachine**


	8. A Shattered Alliance

Chapter 7 / A Shattered Alliance:

The entire floor shook as the Dark Elf Queen's blast shot through the line of enemies, neutralising the entire Demon army before Kirito's eyes. When the light died down, there was no evidence to show that the Dusk Demons were ever there. The four players stood in silence atop the battlements, shocked beyond belief.

"This…this can't be happening…right?!" Asuna stuttered, finding it hard to form words. "That couldn't have been scripted…could it?!"

"I…" Kirito started, his voice cracking for a moment. He watched as the Forest Elves moved their forces into the castle, leaving only the Dark Elves and a bunch of confused players. "…We'd better get down there." The others nodded in agreement, glad to have a task to focus on. They made their way down from the structure towards the Dark Elves as the sounds of battle grew louder behind them.

The Dark Elf Queen was unconscious, surrounded by her associates. Kizmel was knelt by the Queens side, concern present on her face. She looked up towards Kirito as his group approached.

"We have been betrayed!" She told them, her voice firm.

"We saw..." Kirito responded, unsure of what else to say. Kizmel's focus passed from him onto Klein, her eyes hardening.

"You!" She growled, taking on an accusational tone as she surveyed a sizeable portion of the players in the crowd. "You are allied with the Forest Elves!" The Dark Elf warriors readied their weapons, waiting for the order to annihilate the traitors.

"Hey! I know you're upset Kizmel, but its not their fault!" Kirito interjected, his voice lowering to a soothing tone. "They didn't know that any of this was going to happen. They would have gone off with the Forest Elves if they were in on it."

Kizmel's eyes relaxed slightly as she saw reason, signalling the Dark Elf soldiers to stand down. Just as she prepared to speak again, a loud uproar came from the castle, as a newly spawned wave of Dusk Demons poured through the destroyed gateway. The Dark Elves instantly withdrew their weapons once more, lining up into a battle stance.

The only thing Kirito could hear was the sounds of movement and the varying battle cries of the two opposing forces. He watched as the two sides crashed together, adding the ambience of battle to the mix. Swords clashed and armour sparked. It was chaos. He could barely think. He looked over at Kizmel, realising that she was attempting to talk to him.

"The Forest Elves are still out there!" She shouted, straining to make herself heard. "They can't be allowed to get away with this! You and I need to go after them! We have to end this!"

Kirito went to reply when a Dusk Demon suddenly broke through the crowd, locking its focus onto him. The Black Swordsman grabbed his sword hilt, ready to withdraw his blade, but his effort was in vain. Kizmel rushed forward, dispatching the enemy with a swift three hit combo. She turned back to face him, preparing to speak once more. Kirito spoke first.

"I'll go." He told her. "You're needed here, by your Queen's side…with your people. Just make sure to keep an eye on my people for me too, okay?" After a brief moment of hesitation, Kizmel nodded, agreeing with him. Adira, who had overheard whilst fighting close by, did not.

"Don't be ridiculous!" She cried, making her way over to them. "You can't take them all on alone! I'll come with…"

"NO!" Kirito yelled, cutting her off. "You're already in enough danger being _here_! I'm not going to deliver you to the Demons! Or have you forgotten that you're the one they're after?!"

Kizmel screwed her face up slightly, having been previously unaware that Adira was the Demon's target. Kirito was too distracted to notice, focusing solely on trying to make Adira understand the danger that she was in. The two of them stared on, partaking in a battle of wills, ignorant to the chaos around them. Kizmel finally spoke up.

"Kirito's right. I know its not what you want to hear but its too risky for you to go. If the Demons get their hands on you and your power, there is not telling what devastation they could cause."

Kirito could see the internal conflict raging inside Adira. He watched as her face passed through a variety of emotions, before settling on one: resignation.

"Don't you _dare_ even think of dying out there!" She told him, her voice shaking with supressed emotion. "You're coming back! You promised me that we would have a duel in the real world one day! You can't back out of that now!"

Kirito was silent, unable to meet her eyes. He couldn't guarantee that he'd make it back, but he knew that he had to end this event mission as quickly as possible, before any players got hurt. And if the Forest Elves betrayal was directly linked to the overall story of the mission, then he would have to take them down too. He finally locked eyes with Adira, noting the look of understanding that she now held. He gave her and Kizmel a quick nod of the head before turning on his feet, rushing through the battle towards he castle.

He flew past Klein, who was in the midst of combat, too distracted to notice him. Asuna, on the other hand, looked up, shooting him a quizzical look as he passed her. He ignored it, continuing to run, dodging Demons left, right and center as he approached the structure before him. He made it through the wreckage of the gates, finding the inside of the castle desolate of life.

He gazed around for a moment, debating on which route he should take. He decided on the tower. It seemed like the most logical place for the mission objective to be set. He looked up, gazing at the daunting sight of the structure before him. He noticed lone figure, striding along the battlements. The figure was clad head-to-toe in green tinted armour. It was the Forest Elf King. Kitito's features tightened as his anger began to rise up inside of him. It looked as if he was going to have to take him down after all.

* * *

 **Notes:**

 **-Ohhhh, we're getting close to the end now! Only four chapters left…**

 **-Taking everything on alone Kirito? That might not work out for you…**

 **-I am a bit worried that I took Kizmel's personality too far for an npc, but the Progressive novel has her acting unbelievably lifelike, so hopefully it didn't seem like too much.**

* * *

 **-Musical Choices:**

 **#The Warmind / Michael Salvatori, C Paul Johnson, Martin O'Donnel and Paul McCartney**

 **#A Drink First / Murray Gold**

 **#Trouble in Town / Lorne Balfe**


	9. A Battle With Kings

Chapter 8 / A Battle With Kings:

Destruction. That was all that could be seen from the Black Swordsman's vantage point. He was sneaking across the top of the castle battlements, making his way towards the topmost spire. The sounds of battle filled the air. He couldn't tell whether it was from added sound effects or not. SAO was detailed in that way. He shook his head, clearing his thoughts.

Kirito spotted the Forest Elf King ahead. They were stood outside the entrance to the spire, seemingly inspecting it, trying to find a way in. He suddenly turned, staring straight at Kirito. So much for sneaking up on him, Kirito thought.

"You should walk away now, boy!" The Elf King said, his powerful voice cutting through the chaotic mess of noise. "This doesn't concern you!"

"You concerned me when you betrayed our alliance!" Kirito replied, anger dripping through his voice.

The King laughed. "This is not your problem. You don't care about the elves. I've seen the way you humans interact with us. We're not even seen as real to you people! _Stay out of this_!"

"It doesn't matter whether you're real or not! I _can't_ stand traitors!"

"Don't start a fight that you can't win!"

"I won't…" Kirito replied, drawing his weapon, filling himself with determination. "…because I _will_ win!"

"Then I will _crush_ you! Boy!" The Forest Elf King replied, drawing his weapon and rushing Kirito in an instant. His sword began to glow, taking on a bright red hue as it slashed in a downwards-horizontal arc. The Black Swordsman strafed to the right, using his knowledge of the games mechanics to predict the npc's set move path. He countered in an instant, bringing his blade round to slash through the King's left arm, removing a small percentage of his health. Kirito knew that he was going to have to dish out stronger attacks if he wanted to have a chance at beating this enemy. They were probably designed to take on parties of players. A theory that was proven when the Elf King swung his sword round in an arc, his slash covering an astonishingly wide area. Kirito placed his sword in front of him, flat side facing the attack. It caught the edge of his weapon, ricocheting off of it, leaving the King open to the chance for another attack. Kirito took it.

The Black Swordsman shot forward, his blade glowing green as he went for a stabbing attack, thrusting his sword straight through the gap in his opponents armour. The King paused for a second, before stepping back, increasing the proximity between the two enough for an attack of his own, swiping his blade upwards. Kirito was caught off guard, barely able to block the worst of the move. His health bar shot down to 78%.

It began to dawn on Kirito how strong his opponent really was. To be able to take that big a chunk out of a player of his level's health bar in one hit was insane, especially since he had prevented the attack from hitting full-force. He was beginning to regret taking this boss on alone. He suddenly took notice of another attack coming his way, leaping into the air to avoid it. He landed heavily, taking a moment to regain his balance. He couldn't dwell on his thoughts right now, he'd just have to do the best with what he had.

The Black Swordsman let out a battle cry, leaping forwards, unleashing an attack frenzy. He began to wrack up a combo, using sword-skill after sword-skill, preventing the Forest Elf King from countering. Kirito didn't remember the moment when he switched from thought to instinct, unconsciously activating his skills in reaction to his opponents movements, countering his attack before he even managed to execute them. He failed to pick up on the Kings health dropping into the red zone, which was usually a signifier that a boss was about to switch up their attack style.

The Forest Elf King let out a sudden roar, performing a spinning slash, which caught Kirito by surprise. The Black Swordsman was thrown backwards, his combo broken, his body landing close to the edge of the battlements. He regained his footing, gazing over the side, noting how large the drop was. He drew his blade in front of him, charging his opponent with a Sonic Leap attack.

The King roared once more, positioning his weapon above his head as it glowed a pure white colour, before throwing it. The sword shot towards Kirito, who met it in the middle of his leap, unable to redirect his attack. The enemies blade hit him in the shoulder, knocking him free from his move as he flailed to the floor, sprawling before his opponent.

The Elf King strode forwards, stepping on Kirito's blade as he lifted the solo player by his sword arm. Kirito quickly activated a martial-arts-skill, upper-cutting his opponent, his glowing fist connecting with their chin, sending them staggering backwards. The Black Swordsman fell to the floor, instantly grabbing his sword before unleashing a three-point slash attack, damaging the enemies legs.

The King fell to ground, his knees crunching against the floor. Kirito brought his sword up, holding it under the Forest Elf King's throat. He spoke, his voice taking on a low growling tone. "Stand your forces down, or I'll end you!"

The King laughed, his health a fraction away from zero. "It's out of my hands now boy! There's nothing I can do!"

The Black Swordsman sighed, hesitating for a second before withdrawing his blade, the boss dipping his head in defeat. Kirito scoured through his inventory, finding and activating a health crystal, rejuvenating himself. That fight was too close. He looked down at his feet, giving himself a moment to breathe.

A sharp sound pierced the quietness that had fallen, catching the solo players attention. He looked up in time to see the Forest Elf King's last facial expression: shock. A jagged blade was skewered through his chest from behind, bursting him into polygons in an instant. Through the sea of shards Kirito spotted the newcomer. They were covered head-to-toe in heavily accented armour. Their figure was tinted bronze, cold eyes glowing with animosity. The title hovering above them simply read: The Demon King.

So this was the leader of the Dusk Demons. Fear began to blossom in Kirito's stomach. He wasn't prepared to take on the Demon King alone. He could barely beat one of their armoured grunts. He needed backup. The solo player focused, gripping his sword tighter as he carefully observed his new opponent.

The Demon King moved forwards, his approach calculated. He slowly drew closer, stopping only to withdraw his sword from the ground. Kirito tensed in preparation for an attack. He didn't have to wait long. The Demon King quickly slashed his sword, disarming the Black Swordsman in an instant. Kirito scrambled backwards to retrieve his sword as his opponent continued to advance at a menacing pace.

The player took the initiative this time, launching forth with his own attack. The King blocked it, staggering Kirito, creating an opening to swiftly slash him in the back. The Black Swordsman stumbled, regaining his balance. He turned to face his opponent, bringing his guard back up. That was reckless. He couldn't afford mistakes like that when he was alone. His back tingled as he waited once more. The enemy suddenly struck, leaping forward themselves. Kirito barely avoided the attack, countering with his own move. They fell into a rhythm of attacking and defending. Both fighters parrying and blocking the others moves. The Black Swordsman finally found an opportunity, quickly breaking past the Demon Kings defence, manoeuvring round him before stabbing him in the back, his blade piercing the gap in his shoulder.

The King suddenly let out a piercing scream, slamming his sword into the ground, resulting in a powerful shockwave. Kirito was thrown backwards. He watched in horror as he soared over the edge of the battlements, body beginning to fall. He thrust his sword out desperately, praying for a miracle. He suddenly lurched to a stop, body hanging over the edge. He looked up to see his sword lodged in the gap between two cobblestones. How it was even possible inside the game, he had no idea, and he wasn't about to complain.

Kirito struggled to pull himself back onto the ledge when his opponent appeared above him. He kicked his legs desperately as the Demon King raised his sword, preparing for a strike that never came. One second the enemy was ready to attack, the next they were staggering back from a flash of light. Kirito couldn't see what had happened from his vantage point, dangling from the ledge.

"Just focus on getting yourself back up!" A female voice instructed him as a figure briefly appeared. "I've got this!" Kirito saw a flash of teal hair as the figure moved away from the edge, no doubt to take on the boss. Wait…teal hair? Realisation hit the Black Swordsman in an instant. Oh no!...

* * *

 **Just Another Note or Two:**

 **-I wonder who that could be?...**

 **-I know the fight with the Forest Elf King wasn't the most drawn out or complex but Kirito knows the games mechanics inside-out, allowing him to predict and counter the pre-set move options that a normal npc has. This is why I added the random element into the Dusk Demons, so that they would be more of a challenge for him.**

* * *

 **-Musical Choices:**

 **#Still Crazy / Hans Zimmer and the Magnificent Six**

 **#Attack on 10380 Malibu Point / Brian Tyler**


	10. You Have to Finish This!

Chapter 9 / You Have to Finish This:

Denial. An unusual trait for Kirito to experience, but one that he found himself feeling as he hung from the edge of the castle battlements, holding on for dear life to avoid plummeting to his death. The drop wasn't his concern however. It was the player currently locked in battle with the Demon King boss above him. She couldn't be here. It wasn't safe…he needed to get up there.

The Black Swordsman poured all of his focus into pulling himself up. He slowly elevated his body, bit by bit, grabbing the ledge with his free arm. As his head rose above the edge so did the restrictions on his vision, allowing him to see the battle unfolding. Adira was twirling her sword, gracefully holding her own against the boss. She was utilising her special ability to its full effect, teleporting forwards in a dash, glowing with energy. This was the only reason that she was still alive, Kirito realised. If he didn't get up there soon she would be overpowered. The look on her face confirmed his thoughts. She knew it too.

He once again poured all of his efforts into clambering back over the ledge, finally pulling himself up to relative safety. He was exhausted. He needed to take a quick breather. A luxury that he didn't have the time to indulge in.

The Demon King got a sudden lucky strike, disarming Adira, sending her sprawling. Kirito instantly actived a Sonic Leap sword-skill, shooting forwards without hesitation. Just as the Kings blade was about to make contact with the female player, the Black Swordsman slammed into him, sending them both tumbling to the floor.

The two players regained their footing swiftly, both positioned on either side of the boss. Their eyes met, both silently agreeing on what to do. They nodded in unison. The two of them rushed the Demon King from either side, overwhelming him with a flurry of attacks. They dodged and weaved as the boss tried to fight back, dancing around him in perfect sync with one another. They continuously struck out, aiming for the weakest points in his armour.

Only a few of their hits whittled his health down by a substantial amount. Their strategy was working, but too slow for Kirito's liking. They were both exhausted. It was only a matter of time before one of them made a…

The Demon King struck back, catching the Black Swordsman in his upper arm. Kirito fell to the floor, dropping his blade as he rolled away, clutching his sword arm. He watched in horror as Adira attempted to put some distance between herself and the boss, only to be struck by a blow to the head. The Demon King hit her with the handle of his weapon, momentarily stunning her as she desperately tried to stumble away.

The world moved in slow motion. A scream flew out of Kirito's mouth. A scream that he could not hear. The only thing that his senses could pick up was the boss's sword as it was thrust through Adira's back, impaling her. A sickly bronze-ish glow emitted from her wound, as a bright light travelled down the length of the sword into the Demon King, empowering him. His eyes began to glow the same bronze colour as the magical energy was drained from Adira's body.

The glow slowly faded as the Demon King withdrew his sword, leaving Adira to fall to the floor in defeat. The boss retreated into the castle tower behind them, his mission now completed. Kirito didn't care. The only thing on his mind was Adira.

He scrambled over to her body, ignoring his tingling arm, lifting her onto his lap as he searched his inventory for his last health crystal. He was aware of her wound, still tinted with a bronze glow. It pulsed every few seconds, signalling that its effects were still active. Sure enough, Adira's health bar was gradually depleting. After a moment, Kirito found the item he was looking for. He spawned it, instantly raising the crystal above Adira's wound before activating it. The item performed its usual shattering animation, signifying its success. The Black Swordsman checked her health bar, watching as it continued to ever-so-slowly diminish. The crystal had failed.

"Items don't work on me, remember?" Adira reminded him, her voice light yet weak.

"I…" Kirito spluttered, unable to think.

"There's nothing you can do for me now. With the rate my health is depleting, I'll be dead in a few minutes."

"No!" He responded, his voice trembling. "You can't…I won't let you die! Not…not when its my…"

"Don't!" She cut him off, glaring at him intently. "It's not your fault! It was _my_ choice to come up here to help you! _My choice_!"

The Black Swordsman was silent, unable to respond. He sat there for what seemed like an age, willing himself to speak. To say something. Anything.

"I…promised you that we'd duel someday….when we got out of here…someday in the real world…."

Adira chuckled, a smile gracing her face. Kirito committed it to memory, unsure of whether it would be her last. She suddenly grew serious, meeting his eyes with an intense gaze. "You've been like a brother to me Kirito. The brother that I never had!" She paused for a second, formulating her words. "You taught me to fight. You gave me the tools necessary to survive in this world. So I want you to make me a new promise, okay?" The Black Swordsman stared at her, tears filling his eyes as he nodded. "I want you to promise me that you won't give up! That you'll survive this world! That you'll make it home to your real sister!"

Kirito hung his head in shame. How could he hope to fulfil that promise? He was trapped in a death game, unable to make it out. Hell, he couldn't even save his own friends. What was the point?

"Please?!" Adira's voice washed over his dark thoughts. "For me?!"

Kirito hesitantly nodded, before attempting to vocally confirm, his voice cracking. "O…okay…I promise…"

Adira rested her head back, her smile returning. She looked back at Kirito, feeling his body as it shook from his sobs. She gently took a hold of his hand. "Hey!" She caught his attention, her voice soft. "I know this is going to be hard for you, which is why you shouldn't be alone. Ever! You have some of the greatest friends out there. Don't pull away like you usually do. Let them help you. Let…let _her_ help you…"

It was Kirito's turn to smile. "You never pass the chance to tease me about Asuna, do you?"

She laughed. "Isn't that what sisters are for?" Adira paused, visibly wincing as her health entered the red zone. "You need to go!"

"What?! Don't be ridiculous!" Kirito responded, emotions welling inside of him. "I can't just leave you!"

"You have to!" The teal haired player told him. "There's a Demon King that's awaiting the defeat you're about to give him! Besides…it's best you're not here when I go. It'll break you."

She was always looking out for him, Kirito thought, as he replied after a brief moment of hesitation. "I can't…I can't leave you to die alone…" His voice failed, loosing the ability to function.

"Hey!" Adira caught his attention once more. "It's okay. You've got a job that you need to do. The Dusk Demons aren't going to stop themselves." She smiled at him. This time for the last time. She gave him one final command: "Go!"

The Black Swordsman stared back at her, his limbs refusing to move. He caught the castle tower in the corner of his vision as it began to glow with energy, emitting a sinister array of lights. He turned his attention back to Adira, nodding his acceptance, before slowly climbing to his feet, laying her head to rest gently on the ground. He shuffled a few steps closer to the tower before stopping. He gazed back, taking one last look at his friend. He turned back around, dragging one foot after the other until he set himself a rhythm of walking. He refused to look back, knowing that one more glance would break him for good. He had to focus on the task at hand. He would defeat the Demon King! No matter the cost!

* * *

 **Notes:**

 **-The feels! I hope you had some anyway. Hopefully this didn't feel like a random death for the sake of it. Adira's fate does have a purpose for the overall story.**

 **-Only two chapters left now…**

* * *

 **-Musical Choices:**

 **#Dragonborn / Jeremy Soule**

 **#A Wonderful Thing / Richard Wells**

 **#Simon and Alisha Forever / Vince Pope**


	11. A Solo Player

Chapter 10 / A Solo Player:

Amazement. That was the emotion that Kirito should have been feeling. If it had been any other day then the golden-tinted orb of light would have astounded him. But it wasn't any other day. It was today. The worst day of Kirito's life.

He had thought that nothing could have topped the deaths of his old guild: the Moonlit Black Cats. He was wrong. Adira was dead. Or dying. He didn't know which alternative was worse. Adira…

Kirito shook his head, attempting to clear his thoughts. He couldn't think about that now. He could grieve later. He needed a level head if he was going to defeat the Demon King. How was he going to defeat him?

The Black Swordsman paused, unable to find an answer. He'd been beaten by the boss before. Even Adira and himself together hadn't been enough to defeat him. So how was he going to do it? He could slowly diminish the Demon King's health bit-by-bit, playing the long game. But that would require being healing constantly to keep himself going. Kirito groaned…he didn't have any health crystals left.

His face hardened. It didn't matter. He had to take the boss down. He had to avenge Adira. But then…what good would it do? The Demon King was an npc. Defeating them would change nothing. It wouldn't…it wouldn't bring her back.

Doubt entered his mind. Why was he fighting? What was the point? Adira was gone either way…realisation suddenly hit him. That was why he was fighting. To end this game event. To stop the Dusk Demons before they could hurt anyone else.

Kirito reached out his hand, firmly placing it upon the glowing orb in front of him, filled with determination. He knew what he was fighting for now. He was ready.

* * *

The orb teleported him to a different realm. The place looked like a barren wasteland, bronze rust scattered across the plain. The edges of the space fell into a black void of nothingness. Ahead, Kirito could see the Demon King. He was stood with his back to the player, glowing slightly with an ethereal light. His health bar still maintained the damage that the players had taken earlier. At least there was something going Kirito's way. He turned as the Black Swordsman approached, menacingly drawing his weapon as if in slow motion. The solo player mirrored his action, both waiting tensely for the other to strike first.

The Demon King took the initiative, leaping forwards suddenly, disappearing into a thread of light before re-appearing directly in-front of Kirito. The player barely managed to block the King's attack, rolling away to put some distance between himself and his foe.

He seems to have absorbed Adira's abilities too, Kirito thought, desperately attempting to form some sort of battle strategy. He suddenly froze as he realised his mistake. The boss could cover distance easily with his teleport dash. As if in tune with the player's thoughts, the Demon King dashed towards him again, his sword skimming Kirito's thigh, who twisted in an attempt to dodge. The Black Swordsman recovered quickly. He had to get in close. Keep the boss from using any of his attacks with range. That would limit their options.

Kirito sprinted forwards, clashing his blade against the Demon King's before they could attack for a third time. The boss pushed back against him, his superior strength overpowering the player. Kirito quickly unlocked their swords, ducking underneath his opponent's swipe, unleashing a quick combo before pulling back slightly.

The Demon King's health was now teetering around the mid-range. Kirito quickly resumed his offense, unwilling to let up in the fear of the boss overwhelming him. Most of his hits were either dulled or negated altogether by his opponents armour, but it didn't discourage him. There was no backing out now. The only way he could go was forwards.

He pushed himself further! Faster! Kirito had to win! His mind swirled as he desperately tried to form some sort of strategy. What could he do? This would have be the perfect time to utilise his unique skill…if he could have. He didn't carry a second sword, he hadn't seen the point. No other blade compared to the Elucidator that he wielded at this very moment. He was beginning to regret his decision.

He grunted as the boss quickly countered, landing another hit on him, this time slicing through his ribs. Kirito's health bar was teetering slightly above the red zone. He staggered slightly, taking a moment to recover before launching into another offensive fury.

He needed to stop over-thinking. His thoughts were only distracting him, leading him down paths that he couldn't afford to travel right now. Kirito relaxed his mind, moving his body on instinct and reflex alone. Every strike the Demon King attempted to take was either blocked, dodged or countered. Every gap in his opponent's defence was exploited. The Black Swordsman was no longer a person. He was a machine, unable to slow down. Unable to stop.

The Demon King raised his sword into the air, striking the ground before him. Kirito smiled. _Finally_. He'd been waiting for him to attack like this again. The Black Swordsman brought his luminescent blade up in-front of him in a protective stance, digging his heels into the ground as he positioned his body in preparation for the shockwave. The majority of the damage was blocked by his sword as he slid back slightly, his health now resting on a worryingly low 6%. Kirito didn't falter for a second, instantly charging his Sonic Leap sword-skill. He shot forwards, the Demon King still in the process of retrieving his weapon from the ground. He was defenceless. Kirito took the opportunity, his sword connecting with his opponent's neckline, removing his head from his shoulders.

The solo player skidded to a halt, breathing heavily as he began to come down from his adrenaline fuelled high. Behind him, the Demon King fell to his knees, his head and body exploding into millions of bright shards. Kirito looked up in confusion as the scenery around him began to shudder, glowing with an ethereal light. It wasn't over.

* * *

Asuna was situated back in the castle grounds, watching in horror as the spire at the top of the battlements began to glow, golden lights swirling around it in a frantic dance. She felt a pang of fear inside of her. Kirito was still in there.

* * *

The whole plain began to shake, as if an earthquake had befallen the place. The edge of the ground started to disintegrate as the void beyond consumed it. The Black Swordsman watched as his impending doom grew closer. He gazed over the glowing orb floating across the field. It could take him back. He could escape…but why? What was the point in continuing on? What would he get out of it? What more could he lose?

He stood immobile as the world collapsed around him, unable to move. Unable to take a step forward. Unable to continue. Unable…or unwilling. Kirito couldn't see the difference.

His mind suddenly sparked, bringing a recent memory to its forefront. _"I want you to promise me that you won't give up! That you'll survive this world! That you'll make it home to your real sister!"_ He had promised. He promised Adira that he would survive. That he would make it home. Kirito wanted to. He really did. But home was such a long way off. There was no guarantee that he would make it, no guarantee that he even _could_. Was it worth trying?

Kirito was lost, unable to escape the emotions of grief as they swirled inside of him. He couldn't bear to experience any more loss. If he went back, he could lose her…Asuna.

Asuna. How would she feel? How would she feel if he left her…if he died. Kirito willed himself to take a step forwards. He couldn't put her through this. He couldn't let her feel the way he did right now. If he wasn't going to survive for himself, then he was going to survive for her.

The Black Swordsman shuffled forwards, placing one foot in front of the other as he slowly made his way across the room. The chaos around him was nothing but a minor detail. He no longer noticed it. All he could focus on was the orb in front of him. His way out of here.

Kirito stopped in front of it, pausing for a second. Was this what he wanted? To go back to all that pain?

His hand reached for the orb, seeming to move on its own, bypassing all of his pessimistic thoughts. He reached out, his arm shaking as he unsteadily placed his palm on the object. A radial light was emitted, consuming everything. That was all that was in front of him now…light.

* * *

 **Some Notes for Y'all:**

 **-I am a bit sceptical about the first part of the chapter. I wanted to show Kirito's inner turmoil and thought process, but I'm not sure how well it came out. I didn't want it to just be an action thing. As I've said before, the aim was to make this story a character piece. So I wanted to show some emotion too.**

 **-I know that the previous Dusk Demons did not have health bars, but I felt as if the Demon King would, being a boss designed to be tackled by a group of players. One critical hit would be too easy for a boss level enemy.**

 **-In case you didn't know (although you probably did) the Elucidator is Kirito's black one-handed sword.**

 **-One more to go!**

* * *

 **-Musical Choices:**

 **#Beautiful Lie / Hans Zimmer & Junkie XL **

**#Closing the Wormhole / Blake Neely**


	12. Paths

Chapter 11 / Paths:

Anxiety. It crept up inside Kirito as he stumbled out of the castle spire, his feet moving on their own. He was exhausted, all he wanted to do now was curl up and cry. Emotions swirled inside of him as he walked out onto the battlements, the setting sun blinding him for a moment. He was scared, unsure as to what he was about to find.

When his eyes adjusted he was greeted by the sight of Asuna. She was knelt on the ground where Adira had been, the only remnant of the other woman now was her sword, which Asuna held in her hands. The Lightning Flash swivelled her head to look round at Kirito as he approached, tears in the corner of her eyes. She wiped them away, he needed her to be strong.

Kirito tried to speak, but his voice failed him. His mind could barely form words as all of his suppressed emotions came forth to the surface, overwhelming him. His eyes met Asuna's, who gazed at him with a look of pity. He stumbled past her, desperate to get away from her, from the castle…from everything. His shaking legs gave out, sending him tumbling to the floor.

Asuna watched as Kirito fell to the ground, tears silently running down his face. He was sprawled near the edge of the battlements, the beautiful scenery of the sunset contrasting starkly with his inner turmoil. She slowly got herself to her feet, making her way over to him.

She stood behind him as he refused to turn around, eyes fixed straight ahead. His lips quivered as he attempted in vain to get some sort of control over himself.

Asuna could hear Adira's voice in her head. Her final request. _"I need you to do me a favour, okay?" Adira had croaked, her time almost up. "I need you to look after him. He needs you. He won't admit it…but he does. Just…take care of him…please!"_

She sat down on his right, gently resting her hand on Kirito's shoulder, comforting him. Of course she would, she'd have looked after him whether Adira had asked her to or not. She sat by him in silence, giving him time to grieve as he tried to process words, his mouth opening slightly before closing when nothing came out.

When she felt that Kirito had calmed down slightly, she spoke. "I sat with her in her final moments…" Asuan began, her voice as soothing as she could make it. "She said you didn't want her to die alone…she…she didn't…" Asuna gazed at Kirito as he continued to look out across the horizon, his eyes unfocused. "She wanted you to have this…her sword…she called it…" Asuna faltered for a second. "…she called it the Dark Repulser…"

Asuna gently placed the blade on Kirito's lap, watching as his head dipped to look at it. He gently gripped it in his right hand, holding on to it as if itcould shatter at any moment, leaving him with nothing left to remember her by. Asuna regarded the weapon, noticing its odd design. The sword was tinted a fitting teal colour, with a diamond-esk design and a dark handle. She committed the beauty of the blade to memory, promising herself that she would never forget it or its previous owner.

* * *

 _FLASHFORWARD! -TWO MONTHS FROM NOW-_

Kirito was unconscious, wiped after defeating the 74th floor boss. Asuna ran up to him, checking to see if he was still alive. His health bar had settled on a mere 2%. That was a close call. She knelt before him, inspect his new sword that he had recently withdrawn. The sword was tinted a teal colour, with a diamond-esk design and a dark handle. She smiled to herself. So hadn't seen that blade in a while.

Asuna thought back to that day. The day of Adira's death. Kirito had never been the same after that. He'd become inconsistent, drawing close to her one day whilst withdrawing away from her the next. She'd decided that it was because he didn't want to be alone, yet was too afraid of getting close to her, in case he lost her. That was why she had forced this little team-up between the two of them. So she could finally show him that he was better of with her…together. Doubt suddenly entered her stomach, sickening her slightly. What would he do after a close call like this? Would he pull away again?

Asuna's face dropped. She could see Klein's reaction out of the corner of her eye. He had noticed. She ignored him, focused only on the figure in-front of her. She wouldn't let him pull away this time. She'd leave the guild if she had to. Whatever it took to be with him. She was pulled out of her thoughts as the Black Swordsman stirred, beginning to wake up…

* * *

 _FLASHBACK! –BACK TO THE CASTLE-_

Asuna watched Kirito as he tried to speak again, his voice failing once more. He locked his eyes back on the horizon, visibly shaking with emotion. She reached across and placed her hand atop his. She felt him grip the sword tighter. After a moment, she opened her mouth to speak.

"You…you're going down a path I cannot follow Kirito…I can't say I understand how you're feeling or…or what you're going through right now, but I'm here for you…and when you're ready to come back….I'll be here…" She trailed off into silence, unsure of what else she could say.

Kirito slowly lowered his head, gazing longingly at he hand atop his, seemingly finding comfort in that simple touch. He composed himself slightly, his body shaking less and less until he became still, breathing deeply as he once again looked out over the sunset. Asuna twitched in shock as he readjusted his hand to fit her own inside of his palm. A smile crept up on her face as she mirrored his reaction, staring out over the horizon as the sun set. Maybe he was finally ready to let her in. Maybe there was hope for them after all…

 _THE END!_

* * *

 **Final Notes:**

 **-Thanks for sticking with this fic until the end. Please let me know what you thought of the ending and the story as a whole, feedback is greatly appreciated!**

 **-I have to say I enjoyed writing this a lot more than I expected. I might write some more fics, although I'm not sure what on. I have an idea for a Star Wars fic, as well as a possible extended version of the Daredevil/Jessica Jones crossover one-shot I wrote. If you have ideas of something you'd like to see, it doesn't have to be from SAO, then let me know and I'll see what I can do!**

* * *

 **-Musical Choices:**

 **#Every Christmas is Last Christmas / Murray Gold**

 **#Daredevil / John Paesano**


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